Happily Ever After...
by RocketJess
Summary: James is trying to ask Jessie something important... but will she ever listen to him?


I can't take credit for this entire story. TeaRoses came up with the idea (and I seriously hope she doesn't mind me posting this - if this thing suddenly vanishes without a trace, it's because she does mind), and I simply turned it from an idea into a story (and changed it a bit while I was at it).  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Pokémon, Team Rocket, Jessie, James, Meowth, or anything/one/place mentioned in this story. Thankyou very much, have a nice day.  
  
WARNING: Major Rocketshippy soppiness alert.  
  
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Happily Ever After...  
  
By RocketJess (Sunny's Pokémon counterpart)  
  
  
  
"Jessie?"  
At the sound of James' voice, Jessie quickly tried to cover up the book she was reading.  
"What?" she snapped.  
"I was wanting to ask you something..."  
"Shut up and leave me alone! Didn't I tell you I wanted to be by myself?"  
"But..."  
"But nothing! Nick off before I hurt you."  
James left. Jessie resumed reading her book - a copy of The World's Best Fairytales. She turned to where she'd hurriedly shoved her bookmark. It was in the middle of Cinderella. That had always been her favourite one. A tear came to her eye as she remembered the many times she'd sat with her mother, reading those stories. She leant back against the old tree stump, and continued to read.  
  
  
Ash, Misty, and Brock wandered down the main street of Pewter City, looking in the shop windows. A particularly bright poster caught Ash's eye.  
"Hey, look at this." he pointed out to the others.  
"A 'Poké-Ball'? Hey, I'd like to go to that!" Misty commented. "And look! The poster says it's totally free!"  
"It's in Viridian City, in five days time." Brock read. "We could walk there in time to go."  
"We could?" Misty asked, looking excited. "C'mon, let's go!" she exclaimed, grabbing Ash and Brock and starting to drag them down the street.  
"Now?" Ash asked, slightly confused.  
"Whaddaya think?" Misty yelled, angrily. "Do you expect me to wait a few days, then get to Viridian City when it's all over? Of course we'll go now!"  
Ash and Brock reluctantly followed her. They knew that, when Misty got like this, it was either agree with her or face her wrath.  
  
  
The trio headed down the road, Misty chattering enthusiastically about the dance, unaware they were being watched.  
"So dey're goin' to da Ball, are dey?" Meowth commented.  
"Quiet!" Mondo exclaimed. "Do you want them to hear you?"  
Jessie said nothing. She was too busy thinking.  
A ball? she thought to herself. Just like in Cinderella! For so long I've dreamed of going to one, but I never could, never thought I'd ever be able to... but I can't just tell James that. So how?  
"We've got to go to that ball." Jessie said, determinedly.  
"Why?" James asked.  
"Use your brain, fool! It's a ball for Pokémon trainers. And where there's trainers..."  
James finally caught on. "There's Pokémon!" he exclaimed.  
"All faw us ta steal!" Meowth finished off.  
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"  
  
  
Finally, the day for the ball came around. Misty had insisted on Ash and Brock coming, saying that she'd "like to have someone familiar around". Ash couldn't help thinking that Misty looked quite stunning, but decided not to say so.  
Un-noticed by Ash and the others, Team Rocket were also there. Meowth glanced over at them, nervously.  
"We'd betta be careful dat dey don't see us." he said to James, quietly. "If dey do, we're in trouble."  
James nodded, then turned to Jessie.  
"Um, Jessie...?" he asked.  
"Shut up, James!" she snapped.  
"But it's important..." James protested, to no avail.  
"I said shut up!"  
"Hey Jessie," Mondo asked, "do you want to dance?"  
"Sure, Mondo." Jessie replied, taking his hand and walking off with him, leaving James and Meowth behind. James growled to himself.  
"Ooh, do I detect a bit a jealousy here?" Meowth asked, slyly.  
James blushed. "No, no, of course not. I'm just annoyed about how she tells me to shut up and then goes all sweet and sugary with him."  
"Sounds like jealousy ta me!" Meowth commented.  
"Shut up, Meowth! It's none of your business!"  
Meowth was about to make a smart comeback, but spotted a rather cute-looking Sneasel and went off after her. He intended to have a good time, even if James was going to just mope around.  
  
  
Misty was quickly losing patience with Ash. Despite her attempts to show him how to dance, all he succeeded in doing was stepping around clumsily, stepping on Misty's foot more often than not.  
"Ash! Watch where you're stepping!" she exclaimed, as he did it again. However, he didn't seem to be paying any attention to her - he was looking over somewhere behind her.  
"Hey, Misty," he began, "doesn't that girl over there look like Jessie? You know, from Team Rocket?"  
Misty looked over where Ash was pointing. The girl he was talking about did look a lot like Jessie.  
"Yeah. But who's the guy she's dancing with?"  
"Don't know." Ash muttered, glancing around. He then noticed James over at the side of the room. So did Misty.  
"It is Team Rocket!" she exclaimed.  
"And I bet I know what they're up to." Ash added, walking over to where James was sitting. James noticed.  
"Hey! What are you here for, Twerp?" he snapped.  
"Maybe I should be asking you that question." Ash replied. "Here to steal the Pokémon again, are you? Well, you'll have to get past me first!"  
By this time, Jessie and Mondo had noticed, and had come over.  
"Are you threatening us?" Jessie asked. "Well, forget it. James?"  
On hearing his name, James took two Pokéballs from his pocket and tossed them to Jessie.  
"What have you got planned this time?" Ash asked, angrily.  
"You'll see, Twerp. Go, Arbok! Go, Lickitung!"  
By this time, everyone else had noticed the fight and was watching. James produced a Pokéball too. He had more sense than to use Victreebel again.  
"Go, Weezing! Smo..."  
"Not so fast!" Ash exclaimed, leaping at James, and knocking him over. A box slipped from his pocket as he fell. Jessie stooped down and picked it up, not noticing that James suddenly became very nervous. She opened it. A small ring was inside.  
"What's this for?" she asked him.  
"Well, um, ah..."  
"James?"  
"It's a, well... an engagement ring." he finally said.  
"What? You were going to ask me to marry you or something?" she asked, sarcastically. James took a deep breath.  
"Actually, I was." he said. "Will you?"  
Jessie was shocked. Was this what he had been trying to ask her all day? When she had just told him to shut up? It probably was. She felt so ashamed. She glanced around the room. All eyes were fixed on her and James. She couldn't help smiling - she and James always liked to do things publicly, where a lot of people could see them. She turned back to James.  
"Yes, I will."  
James took back the box with the ring, and then held the ring out to Jessie.  
"Put it on." he instructed, smiling. She did so, taking a closer look at the ring. It was gold, with two jewels - one pink, one blue - encased by a heart.  
"The jewels are us, aren't they?" she asked. He nodded.  
"Love holds us together." he explained.  
"I know." Jessie replied. She leant over and kissed him. The band started to play again - a slow, beautiful tune. They began to dance together. Jessie suddenly realised that this was truly what she had been searching for, but never found... until now, of course. She drew closer to James... her fairytale prince.  
  
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Hope you enjoyed my overly soppy and romantic story. Please review and tell me what you think. Flames will be immediately doused by my Azumarill and then completely ignored.  
  
  



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